About Sleep Apnea and How CPAP Masks Treat This Disorder

There are many types of disorders that affect Australians, and sleep apnea is definitely included. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing pauses or sporadic breathing occurs while a person is sleeping. There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is the most common, and central sleep apnea (CSA). These two types of sleep apnea occur when these signs and symptoms exist:

Feeling of sleepiness during daytime

Restlessness while sleeping.

Loud snoring evident among those with OSA

Sudden awakenings that come with shortness of breath evident among those with CSA

Sore throat and/or dry mouth upon waking up

Indeed, any Australian may have sleep apnea, even children. However, the risk of having OSA or CSA usually depends on a lot of risk factors. Of course, there is age, family history, and race, but there are also other pertinent factors. In OSA, for instance, the risk tends to increase among those with excess weight. Although it is true that buildup of fat around the upper airways may hinder breathing while sleeping, there are people who are not overweight but also experience symptoms of OSA. Likewise, OSA may be brought about by smoking and drinking. Meanwhile, the risk of having CSA tends to increase among those who have suffered a stroke or a brain tumor.

Sleep apnea treatment is usually dependent on how mild, moderate, or severe the case is. For milder cases, a patient is often required by his or her doctor to undergo lifestyle changes, which usually include smoking and/or alcohol cessation and weight loss. However, if the condition becomes moderate or worse over time or that lifestyle change did not help improve the patient’s sleep apnea symptoms, then there are other treatment options available. One of them is the implementation of CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure.

Basically, the CPAP is usually prescribed to patients with obstructive sleep apnea. This treatment option makes use of a small, lightweight machine that generates pressurized air in an effort to keep the upper airways open. Said machine has three parts: For more go to http://herbalremedyforsleep.com/best-cpap-machine-reviews/

The CPAP mask. It usually comes in different styles and sizes, but a typical mask either fits in the nose or both the nose and mouth, and has straps to keep it in place while the patient is sleeping.

The tube. It connects the mask to the CPAP machine’s motor.

The motor. It generates pressurized air, which is blown through the tube and to the mask.

Truly, this treatment device is beneficial for any patient who has sleep apnea. As already mentioned, the pressurized air that flow through the tube from the machine to the CPAP mask Australia fitted on the nose (or nose and mouth), keeps the upper airways open. This allows the patient to breathe easily and sleep soundly without any hint of restlessness or snoring.

Many patients, despite improving their quality of sleep with the use of CPAP machines, often have complaints about wearing masks. It is perfectly normal, however, to feel strange or feel claustrophobic when wearing such devices on their faces while sleeping, especially for the first few days. It is all part of the adjustment.

This is why is it is important for patients to seek the help of a sleep specialist, especially for the availability of CPAP machines in which the masks often vary in terms of style, size, the patients’ sleeping position, and how it prevents patients from feeling confined. For example, there are masks that come in the form of nasal pillows that allow for patients to have a full field of vision. There are also nasal CPAP masks Australia that cover the nose and are surrounded by a foam piece to help seal them. Taking to a doctor who specializes in sleep medicine is imperative so that patients know which masks to use for their sleeping needs as they receive treatment for their sleep apnea.